Paris not mismanaging fund balance

BANGOR — At a recent meeting in Bangor, University of Maine System Trustees approved a comprehensive new set of goals and actions to move the University System quickly forward in the areas of program and workforce development, cost control, and student success.
As part of one major goal which focuses on students and controlling tuition increases for the upcoming fiscal year 2012-13, the UMS Board unanimously approved a motion made by Trustee Karl Turner to keep in-state tuition and fees at current levels—meaning zero increases for the upcoming academic year.This is the lowest level in 25 years, when tuition levels in 1987 were also kept at the prior year’s level.
“I strongly endorse a one-year freeze,” Turner explained. “Taking a one year at a time approach is a big step forward in the right direction.”
A second goal is centered on Maine’s employers, including a directive to form additional business partnerships and collaborations to provide services and support to businesses, and to align academic and certificate programs with the state’s workforce needs.A third and final goal focuses on 21st Century educational delivery and highlights the need for providing more online and hybrid programs to better meet the needs of Maine’s working adults. It also includes a new initiative to provide more flexible admissions start times to serve working adults.This goal also focuses on providing financial incentives to faculty and universities for achievement of academic goals.
Trustees, System staff, and University presidents have worked on the goals and actions for several months.“There is a lot of work behind this effort and there is a lot of work to do to accomplish this,” added UMS Board chair Michelle Hood. “It’s a nice road map for the future of the University of Maine System.”
Trustees also considered and approved:
- The expansion of the Wise Lab of Environmental & Genetic Toxicology, located in the Bioscience Research Center on the Portland campus. Two new lab spaces will be funded by $900,000 from the Maine Economic Improvement Fund.
- A new Master of Laws one-year professional degree program at the University of Maine School of Law in Portland directed at educating foreign lawyers and graduates of foreign law schools.
- Demolition of outdated apartment buildings at UMaine’s University Park.This project also includes improvements to be made at the twenty-six remaining buildings at this location and would be funded from more than $460,000 in existing sprinkler bond funding and $1 million in auxiliary university funds targeted for this project. Annual savings of $85,000 will be realized when the buildings are taken down.
Trustees received additional presentations including: an overview on tools and resources available to Maine students and families regarding financial literacy and debt management; and an update on statewide facility capital improvements and outstanding capital needs.
Trustees also received an update on a brand new statewide information technology (IT) partnership between Maine business leaders and the University of Maine System with a goal to double the number of UMS IT graduates within four years.George Hogan, senior vice president and chief information officer at Wright Express, and Glenn Wilson, associate professor of technology at the University of Southern Maine, are co-chairs of the IT partnership steering committee.Hogan noted, “Internships are a big key—and our goal is to double the number of IT internships across the state, as part of this initiative.”
Professor Wilson added, “The University System turns out great IT students—but we don’t have enough of them to meet the need. Many Maine people don’t know that there are hundreds of IT and computer science jobs which will be available.These are great jobs with very good salaries for Maine families.”
The next meeting of UMS trustees will take place March 19 at UMaine in Orono.